Funny, I am and was raised atheist; yet still I hold the same positions on this issue as you.

I have let go of atheism.
I am certain that atheism has no place in my life. One of my best friends is a straight female cultural (in terms of Jewish humor and Jewish cuisine)(but not religious) Jewish person. But even though she isn’t of faith she is tolerant of those who are. Just a difference in journey in life.

I have found even Catholics who are far far more accepting of differences in views than some in the atheist community. I see some atheists very mcuh bound and determined that the whole world needs to embrace their ideals. One of the major downfalls of Christianity as well. And shouting insults at those don’t embrace their beliefs. While I can never embrace Catholism, I do embrace liberal Episcopalian faith.

While I don’t see perfection in religion, far from it, I also don’t see perfection in atheism. The disrepectful shouting, screaming and insults from the atheist side has me convinced even more than ever that I am where I need to be.

All those that say I’ll reform from the inside, its not so bad, or I get the good from it and leave the bad… you may say it is your choice to be a member of this criminal cult, but when you give it any money, you fund the hate campaign AGAINST YOURSELF.

Wake up gays…give them money, you might as well vote for an anti-gay senator that will vote to take your rights away.

It is the height of stupidity to give this cult your money, and it makes you the sworn enemy of our civil rights movement.

Shame on you!

You simply cannot label an organization that lies for a living and kills scientists, who is even so flat footed intellectually it can’t seem to read the health care bill properly, as intellectual.

In what alter universe do you see the catholic tradition providing anything akin to a “rich intellectual and moral tradition”? The entire history of the church is anti-intellectual (do not think for yourself and certainly do not try to think for society…we will have you beheaded if you do) and its very existence is to create a false morality allowing power hungry men to make people act as they say. History has proven time and time again that the church’s form of “morality” is in fact criminal conduct, and they actually teach that we are all immoral (sinners) who need only pay a fine to get eternal salvation.

One could argue the church provides a historical feeling of belonging, a sense of community and that it provides guidance for wayward souls that would otherwise go out and murder lots of people, but in fact it does neither.

People who are members of the church demanded the society part (being a medieval collector the infamous screens used to keep the rabble away from the “elite” priests tell this story better than I can) and the same members of the church drive its charity.

These are both human traits….community and charity, that the church has absconded as part of its PR effort.

I think there is a lot of good you could have said about the parachoil tradition in this country and it would probably benefit society to have that tradition continued under secular, non criminal leadership. But to negate the entire history of the church, to say it does things that are completely antithetical to its existence is to be complicit in the whitewashing of its history and motives that it trained you to be.

I expected more from someone who has been enlightened and pursued education outside the cult. I guess my hopes were too high.